Catcher&#39;s mitt.



7 No. 780,806. PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905.

' B T. ROGERS.

GATGHERS MITT.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 2, 1904.

mmmloz Witt/two K 1 awa STATES Patented January 17, 1905.

BURT T. ROGERS, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CATCHERS IVIITT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,306, dated January1'7, 1905.

Application filed January Z, 1904. Serial No. 187,509.

To all IUII/OIII/ it 'mwy concern;

Be it known that I, 'BURTT. Roenns, a citi zen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden andCommonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful CatchersMitt, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gloves or mitts used by catchers in playingbase-ball in which a pocket is formed in the manner hereinafter setforth; and the object of my improvement is to provide a pocket in acatchers glove or mitt in such manner as to enhance its usefulness. Inot only furnish the glove or mitt at the outset with apocket which isof the desired shape, size, and location, but at the same time provideagainst displacement of the padding and make an article in which noaircushion is likely to form between the bottom of the pocket and theadjacent padding. This last is a valuable consideration, for the reasonthat when the bottom of the pocket does not come into contact with thepadding an aircushion is the result, in consequence of which it is moredifficult to hold the ball.

A further object is to furnish a glove or mitt which does not need tohave the pocket pounded into the same or to be distorted and drawn outof shape with straps in order to form the pocket. My mitt always retainspractically the same shape given it when manufactured.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, which shows, in perspective, a mitt embodying a preferred formof my invention.

Generally my invention consists in making the front of the glove or mittin at least two pieces and fastening them, usually by sewing orstitching, so as to leave more or less slack in one of such pieces,which provides for the formation of the pocket.

In the drawing a mitt a is shown, which does not differ in generalappearance from other mitts in this class. There are the finger andthumb portions 1) and 0, respectively, the heel outlined by the stitchescl and the pocket 6 in the palm portion; but it will be observed thatthe front of this mitt is in two pieces f and a united along a line it,representing a seam. By cutting out the pieces j and g so that theirabutting edges are unequal and require more or less puokering adjacentthe pocket 6 to unite them suiiicient slack is left in the piece 1 toallow for the pocket. Provision is thus initially made for the formationof a pocket around which the filling or padding of the mitt is properlyplaced during the process of manufacture, and the presence of thispocket serves to keep such padding in place. In short, it is in contactwith it at all interior points, so that the impact of the ball does notdisturb the internal arrangement. The foregoing being true, it will bereadily seen that no air-cushion can form heneath the pocket or any partthereof, as is the case when no provision is made for slackness in thepalm portion of the front without stretching or distorting the front ofthe mitt or the mitt as a whole. The direction of the line of separationmay vary more or less. For example, the line or seam 71., instead ofturning to the left, as shown at it, may continue forward onto thefinger portion of the front of the mitt or follow the edge-of thepocket, a departure which necessarily changes somewhat the shape of thepieces f and g, but does not alter the essential feature of theinvention, and other modifications of a simi lar nature may be made orthe front of the mitt may be originally cut into more than two pieces,which are afterward united, all

without departing from the nature of my invention, provided the pocketis formed in the manner substantially set forth.

It is to be understood that the mitt a, aside from the special featureof novelty hereinbefore fully described, is made up in the usual andwell-known manner both interiorly and exteriorly.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a catchers glove or mitt, a front comprising two pieces joined toeach other along contiguous edges, one of said pieces being providedwith a fullness adjacent one edge to provide a pocket in the palm of theglove, substantially as described.

2. In a catchers glove or mitt, a front comprising a heel and a palm andfinger-piece, said IO fullness adjacent one edge to provide a pocket andbeing united by a seam along said edge to the contiguous edge of theheel-piece, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

BURT T. ROGERS. Witnesses:

F. A. CUTTER, A. L. STEVENS.

